Factors that influence the adoption of rehabilitation technologies: a multi-disciplinary qualitative exploration.
Jessie Mitchell, Camila Shirota, Kelly Clanchy
PMID 37340496WHAT IT FOUND
Clinicians and stakeholders identified six factors influencing rehabilitation technology adoption: total costs beyond purchase, biopsychosocial benefits, earned trust, ease of use, access, and co-design.
They stressed that technology must fit clinical workflows and address user needs to avoid abandonment.
Key findings
01Six main themes influence adoption: cost beyond purchase price, benefits to all stakeholders, trust, usability, access, and co-design.
02Costs extend beyond the purchase price to include infrastructure, staff time, and risks of harm, which must be offset by perceived benefits.
03Trust is earned through empirical evidence, transparency, and the ability to trial technology before committing to purchase or ongoing use.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
Only one participant had lived experience of spinal cord injury, limiting the direct patient voice. No medical doctors or regulatory/policy experts were represented in the focus groups. Participants were based in Australia, so findings may reflect local healthcare system biases. Discussions were anchored by a specific neurorestorative technology prototype, which may have skewed perspectives.
Declared interests
Funded by the Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC), Queensland, and the Queensland Industry Research Fellowship.
The easy way to misread this
Do not treat these themes as evidence that specific technologies work or improve patient outcomes. This is a qualitative exploration of stakeholder opinions on what influences adoption, not a clinical trial of efficacy.